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NEW YORK (CBS 2) — Saturday’s storm has closed big sections of the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. Tree limbs were broken by the weight of the wet snow and are still falling to the ground.

It’s a painful sight at a place where every tree is considered a treasure. Todd Forrest, Vice President of the Botanical Garden, said tree limbs that survived many a storm over the years couldn’t handle the stunning October snow, reports CBS 2’s Tony Aiello.

“My first response on Sunday morning when I came in was — I was heartbroken. This freak combination of wet, heavy snow and the fact that the leaves are still on the trees,” he said.

Officials have counted about 30,000 trees on the garden’s 250 acres, and they’ve estimated the storm damaged about 4,500 of those trees.

“It’s horrible, it really is horrible. All these years and one storm, and it’s gone,” said visitor Arlene Rosenblum.

Other frequent garden visitors came to see the damage and make a donation towards the cleanup.

Money doesn’t grow on trees and the storm will cost the garden untold thousands. Heavily damaged sections will remain closed until limbs dangling above can be removed to keep visitors safe.

The carefully tended botanical garden continues to deal with the wrath of Mother Nature. Still, the garden is open for visitors, and hopes to have the main road cleared for tour groups by this weekend.